novelraw Chapter 158 : Chapter 158
Chapter 158 : Chapter 158
Chapter 158 - Nekarion's Castle (2)
"You are..."
"Yes. Me."
"Really Johan Raven?"
The Mad Lord. I couldn't feel any dignity in his voice.
Due to his past trauma, he wouldn't be able to act dignified in front of me.
"I'll show you."
As I imbued the holy sword with mana, Bastian let out a fierce resonance.
The air around the altar was quickly dyed with my power.
The Mad Lord. It must be an unforgettable feeling for him.
"How can this be! Johan Raven, who suddenly disappeared, has appeared in such an unfamiliar form?"
His voice was trembling slightly.
"You even know about my disappearance. I thought you were holed up only in this castle."
"Our eyes and ears exist outside the castle as well."
I couldn't help but snort at those words.
"If you knew the outside world so well, you should have known your place back then too. Am I wrong?"
"Th-that's..."
"Don't make the same mistake twice. Because my mercy won't be given twice either."
At my ultimatum, his mana fluctuated.
I couldn't feel any will to resist.
Anxiety, fear, impatience, worry, and so on.
Although he was a being made of shadow, the atmosphere I could feel from him was these kinds of emotions.
"Hoo."
He let out a sigh.
"Why such a deep sigh. Do I look like I'm going to kill you for no reason? Or torment you like last time."
"It's hard to believe, but you are definitely Johan Raven."
I gave a wry smile.
"Like I said, I came to collect a debt. If you settle it well, you and your knights will be safe. Even this Nekarion's Castle."
The Mad Lord didn't offer any retort.
Because he knew very well that if I put my mind to it, I could really turn this entire castle upside down.
"You say to repay a debt. In what way am I suddenly to repay a debt..."
"You just have to answer my questions well. Of course, if you're caught mixing in even a shred of falsehood, you'll be responsible for the consequences."
"A falsehood! That will never happen!"
It was a model answer.
Not just the content, but the tone as well.
"Tell me everything you know about the current situation in Kalia. Centering on my family."
"Before that, I have a question!"
"No. I refuse questions."
I could guess what he was going to say.
He must be curious as to what circumstances led me to ask such a thing.
And so I cut him off sharply.
The Mad Lord took a deep breath and began to speak.
"Right now, Kalia is in a state of chaos due to your disappearance."
"The Imperial Family?"
"I understand they are holding their breath and watching the Raven Family."
"Well, false rumors that I was aiming to usurp the throne had been circulating for a long time."
"Was it not true?"
To think that even this guy, who was holed up in this castle, believed it, it was just absurd.
"If I really wanted it, I would have put it into action long ago. It's not a matter of timing or calculating anything. Do you perhaps think it's impossible?"
"That is not so!"
A Sword Master alone is at a level where they can face ten thousand.
Moreover, I am not simply a Sword Master.
There is nothing I cannot achieve with my own power.
On top of that, the faction I lead also boasts the strongest fighting power, so if I put my mind to it, I could wipe out the Imperial Family at any time.
"Then why did you suddenly disappear? There are several theories circulating, but no one has been able to give a clear answer!"
"Seeing your curiosity piqued, I must be treating you comfortably? I told you. I'm the one asking the questions."
At my words, his silhouette trembled slightly.
Even though I had lost my former power, the trauma I had implanted in him was still having an effect.
I thought it was a good thing I had completely shaken his soul back then.
"The movements of the anti-Raven faction? They should be forming a united front, thinking this is their chance."
"I understand that there are indeed such movements."
"Meaning it's not in full swing."
"Because everyone is suspicious about whether your disappearance is real or not."
"That it might be a trap I've set?"
"That's about right."
The questions about the part I was most curious about were resolved.
Although I was absent, my faction and family were safe.
And my hostile factions were also unable to move easily.
Putting together what the Mad Lord was saying, I thought I didn't have to worry for the time being.
"Are there any other unusual matters?"
"Unusual matters?"
"For example, a new gate opening to an unknown world."
"You speak of strange things."
He seemed completely clueless.
I had asked just in case, seeing the example of Pangaea.
If such a thing had happened in Kalia, I wondered if it might be connected to Earth.
"Forget it. You don't need to worry about this."
It was something I hadn't expected much from anyway.
And from now on, the questions were for Yoon Joo-hee.
"You have more to ask?"
"Yes. You'll have to recall it well. I'm going to ask about something from 9 years ago now."
"...9 years ago?"
"Yes. I heard that many warriors came here at that time and were annihilated. It would have been unfamiliar to you, but they were by no means a weak group. Their appearance would have been similar to mine now."
At the last part, the Mad Lord let out a gasp.
"I remember now. As you said, they were unfamiliar people, but they were a group with enough power to be somewhat bothersome. Above all, I thought it was a strange experience because they didn't have the feel of Kalia!"
"Good that you remember. It will make things easier."
I raised the corners of my mouth slightly and continued.
"I've come to find their remains. You're not going to tell me they're not here, are you?"
At my words, his mana fluctuated.
"Why on earth would you..."
He was about to ask, but he ended up swallowing his words.
He must have remembered my warning to refrain from asking questions.
"You've kept them safe, right?"
But his answer was completely unexpected.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Because there was a survivor who collected the bodies at that time. If that guy didn't damage them, the remains should be fine, otherwise, I don't know!"
It was a surprising story.
"Suddenly, I have a lot of questions. First, about the survivor."
The Mad Lord began his story again.
From his perspective, the warriors of the Jeongjin Sword Family who came here 9 years ago were intruders of unknown origin.
In any case, the result was annihilation.
They had come to perform a quest of the Abyss and met the worst possible end.
"But they made one plea. That they spare just one of them so that they could continue their lineage."
"So you granted that plea? I didn't know you were magnanimous enough to grant something like that."
At my words, he let out a displeased smile.
"I played a mischievous prank. As requested, I did spare the youngest among them, but I made it so that he couldn't leave Nekarion's Castle. I don't know if he's alive or dead now."
"He went to another lord's castle."
"As expected of Johan Raven! You catch on quick."
Nekarion's Castle was a world where twenty-nine castles were layered.
One had to move from here to another place.
‘It's troublesome, but it's a good thing.’
If that guy was alive and I could meet him, all the things Yoon Joo-hee had considered her lifelong wish would be resolved at once.
The recovery of the remains, and the restoration of the Jeongjin Sword Style.
"Guide me. To that place."
"Is that really all you need?"
The Mad Lord seemed relieved.
The fact that the me he met again was leaving so obediently was something that made him sigh in relief.
"Just guide me."
Although he was just a shadow, it felt as if I could see his bright smile.
***
As I descended from the altar, the frozen world began to move again.
However, the Shadow Knights surrounding Yoon Joo-hee did not resume their fierce attacks.
They were taking steps backward.
Yoon Joo-hee just stared at this scene with a puzzled face.
[A linked quest has occurred.]
[Quest: Breathe comfortably for 1 minute.]
[Clear Reward: ???]
I let out a hollow laugh at the content of the quest.
Breathe.
It was something that would never happen again.
"Unit Leader! The quest is a bit strange! Could it be some kind of trap..."
"It's not a trap."
I said firmly.
I didn't know the exact principle, but it could only be seen as the lord's will being conveyed to the Abyss.
The Mad Lord couldn't dare to harbor hostility towards me, and that was transmitted to the Shadow Knights, and the Abyss also created a quest reflecting this situation.
"Are you really saying the quest will be completed if we just stay like this?"
"It won't be completely over. It said it's a linked quest. Are you worried that everything will end just like this?"
"Honestly, yes."
She, who had no way of knowing the conversation on the altar, must be confused by this whole situation.
The conquest of Nekarion's Castle, something she had longed for for so long.
But the place she actually came to must have been very different from her imagination.
The battle that started out of nowhere. And the flood of Shadow Knights would have made her forget even her original purpose for coming here.
"Just catch your breath. The quest says to be comfortable. What are you going to do if you fail to clear it because you keep making that uncomfortable face."
"Huh? Yes!"
Of course, from her perspective, it was not a place where she could be at ease, but excessive tension was also unnecessary.
Still, when I pointed it out, she seemed to be trying to relax her tense body.
[Quest cleared.]
[As a reward, a new portal will open. Wait for the linked quest there.]
This, too, must be a result reflecting the will of the Mad Lord.
There was no substantial reward, but since the quest was such a freebie, it was understandable.
"You look disappointed. Because you couldn't find any clues about the things you wanted."
"I'm just a bit bewildered. The battle with the shadows, the quest that suddenly started and ended, and this space that doesn't seem to have any clues. Everything is very different from what I had imagined."
"Did you say you believe me?"
"Yes. That feeling has not changed."
"Then I hope you will continue to believe and follow me."
I walked towards the portal.
Beyond this portal, another lord's castle would unfold.
Unlike this place where the Mad Lord was, a world unfamiliar even to me.
"Let's go."
"Yes, Unit Leader."
Nekarion's Castle. I had obtained everything I wanted since coming here, so the journey from now on would be solely for Yoon Joo-hee.
There is no better leader in the world than me.
Not in Kalia, and not on Earth.